Senators Article: B-Sens' numbers continue to dwindle
February 22, 2004

Posted by: Bob Howard
Credit: Scott Lauber of Press Connects.com

B-Sens' numbers continue to dwindle

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Press & Sun-Bulletin

BINGHAMTON -- Shaun Van Allen's aching back kept center Serge Payer from coming back to the Binghamton Senators on Saturday.

Payer was expected to return for Saturday night's game with the Providence Bruins, but Van Allen, the Ottawa Senators' veteran center, has had back spasms. So Payer was needed, and played nearly 10 minutes Saturday in Ottawa's 2-1 victory over visiting Calgary. After the game, he traveled with Ottawa to Pittsburgh for today's game against the Penguins.

Without Payer, the Senators had only 14 skaters available against the Bruins. That number went down to 13 at 9:38 of the first period when winger Alexandre Giroux earned an automatic game misconduct for not having his sweater tied down in a fight with Providence's Pat Leahy.

Ironically, the tie-down rule was instituted in 1996-97 to legislate against fighters like the Senators' Rob Ray, who was known for shedding his sweater during altercations so he could throw punches unencumbered.

Ray is with Binghamton on a conditioning stint after coming out of retirement and signing with Ottawa. With Payer absent, Ray wore the assistant captain's "A" on his sweater.

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

Right wing/assistant coach Jody Hull returned to his luxury-box seat Saturday night, but recently, he's been watching games from behind the bench, alongside coach John Paddock and assistant Mike Busniuk.

For an aspiring coach like Hull, the view from the bench is different when he's not playing.

"As a player, you tend to think about yourself and what you need to do on the next shift," Hull said. "As a coach, you're talking to different players and pointing things out that you see are happening out there."

SLAP SHOTS

Rookie defenseman Jan Platil and rugged winger Brian McGrattan finished serving their league-imposed suspensions. McGrattan missed four games, and Platil was issued a two-game ban for their part in separate incidents last Friday night in Syracuse. Both will be available to play today in Springfield. ... It appears the Senators won't get to face former teammate Mathieu Chouinard when they play in Manchester on Monday night. Chouinard, once a highly touted goalie in Ottawa's farm system, was recalled by the Los Angeles Kings to replace injured goalie Roman Cechmanek (groin strain). ... Barenaked Ladies, the Canadian rock band that is playing the Arena tonight, watched the game from a luxury box.